Cardinals on Schedule


By Walter Mitchell

The NFL scheduled the Cardinals for 4 pre-season games and 17 regular season games this season.

Pre-Season:

Hall of Fame Game vs CAR

G1 - @ LV

G2 - DAL (Home)

G3 - @ GB

Regular Season:

Week 1 LAC - vs. Justin Herbert - Away
Week 2 SEA- vs. Sam Darnold - Home
Week 3 SF - vs. Brock Purdy - Away
Week 4 NYG - vs. Jaxson Dart - Away
Week 5 DET - vs. Jared Goff -Home Week 6 LAR - vs. Matthew Stafford - Away Week 7 DEN - vs. Bo Nix - Home Week 8 DAL - vs. Dak Prescott - Away Week 9 SEA - vs. Sam Darnold - Away Week 10 - LAR vs. Matthew Stafford - Home Week 11 KC - vs. Pat Mahomes - Away Week 12 WAS - vs. Jayden Daniels - Home Week 13 PHI - vs. Jalen Hurts - Home
Week 14 - BYE
Week 15 NYJ - vs. Geno Smith - Home
Week 16 NO - vs. Tyler Shough - Away
Week 17 LV - vs. Fernando Mendoza - Home
Week 18 SF - vs. Brock Purdy - Home

All 17 regular season games are on Sunday at traditional time slots, although maybe the final game in Week 18 at home versus the 49ers will be flexed to Saturday. 

Wow ---> 7 of first 11 games are on the road: LAC, SF, NYG, LAR, DAL, SEA, KC

Wow ---> 5 of the last 6 game are at home: WAS, PHI, NYJ, LV, SF

The Cardinals have no primetime games.

But they aren't the only ones:

Teams with Zero 2026 Primetime Games:
  • New York Jets: Marked their first season without a scheduled prime-time game in 19 years.
  • Tennessee Titans: Second consecutive season without a scheduled primetime game.
  • Las Vegas Raiders: Zero prime-time slots.
  • Arizona Cardinals: Zero prime-time slots.
  • Miami Dolphins: Zero prime-time slots.

Do you think the NFL is sending a clear message to these 2025 doormats?

As in ---> you have to earn the right to be relevant.

As in ---> if you want to tank, you are going to keep paying the price.

TV Coverage:

Good news --- if you are an Arizona resident, watching all 17 games on local TV shouldn't cost you a penny beyond your monthly TV provider's fees. 

For out of staters like me, I have to have a YouTubeTV package (mine is $82 a month) and NFL Sunday Ticket costs $420 a year. Cueing Bickley on Fire in 3, 2, 1, ...

Red Rain Question of the Day:

Context ---> not only does the Cardinals vanilla schedule have historic significance --- given that the Cardinals were not favored in any of their last 12 games (and yet Cardinals' fans, despite their team's absolute incompetence on defense, conveniently want to place part of that blame on Jacoby Brissett) --- what may become even more significantly historic if the Cardinals go 29 straight games slated each week as underdogs.

Think about that.

Which begs the question ---> what is the smartest way for the Cardinals to handle this season, given the daunting aspects of their schedule?

I have some very strong thoughts about that, which I intend to share, but I would like to hear your thoughts first. 

Game 1

As I wrote yesterday in the blog "Bickley on Fire", I vow to take each game "bird by bird" and sprinkle my viewpoints with as much hope as I can.

I like the Week 1 draw of the Cardinals playing the Chargers at So-Fi Stadium where Mike LaFleur called home for the last 4 years.

The opening odds that posted yesterday are ARI @ LAC (-10.5)

ARI vs. LAC Personnel Matchups: 

Thanks to our good friend Jace:


Jace
@AzJace
Cardinals week 1 match up against the Chargers via PFF. Expect some changes (e.g. Cardinals OL) but roughly this is what it could look like. #AZCardinals #BirdGang



I am feeling somewhat encouraged by these matchups, are you?

Most compelling storyline --- which offensive play caller outduels the other: Mike LaFleur or Mike McDaniel?

 






 











          






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